How hard we fought! How long the battle between the sexes raged! How earnest our efforts to move from mealy-mouthed maidens to strong independent women with rights and privileges of our own. Lest we forget, it wasn’t until 1974 that we could establish credit and make major purchases without first obtaining the co-signature of a male willing to vouch for us.

It is from this vantage point and with reference to my own HERstory that I was nearly struck dumbfounded by the latest Forbes list of “Most Powerful Celebrities.” Glory Hallelujah—7 out of the top 10 were female!

This was good news indeed. Although women are still a long way from parity with men in the boardroom or the halls of Congress, we’re making major strides in the world of celebrity. Yet, it was with a certain amount of ruefulness, I observed the sole woman who’d made the top 10 and was a boomer over 50 was Oprah Winfrey. The rest, with the exception of Jennifer Lopez who is 43, were well under half-century mark.

As I’ve aged, I’ve learned that life does not hand you everything you want. The trick to happiness is to focus on life’s blessings, be grateful for what you get, and try to overlook the inequities you cannot change. So I try not to focus on the lack of opportunities we encountered growing up. We know all too well that as girls of the ‘50s and ‘60s, we experienced a far from a level playing field—but that was a long time ago.

Nevertheless, every once in a while, it might be nice for one of those young female mega stars—who benefited from the multiple advantages our struggles afforded them—might acknowledge us. Rather than focus on the glam-cam and what they’re going to wear on the red carpet, it could be refreshing for them to give us a nod of respect and gratitude… and perhaps even a “thank you.”

That said, however, as strong, independent women in our own right who are growing feistier by the day, let’s give ourselves that all-important nod. It’s high time we take stock of all we’ve accomplished, revel in our glorious maturity, and take a moment to pat ourselves on the back. And, as a role model of our own who’s busily climbing the ranks of star power, Betty White might just top the Most Powerful Celebrity list next year. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants?!

And, speaking of brains, hopefully you’ve just excited your neurons with these fascinating facts. Our world is a source of wonder and, as we age, we find even more reasons to realize how true this is. ENJOY!

Enter Chico’s. Although this company doesn’t specifically brand its products “for the mature woman,” it seems the majority of its clientele are probably boomers. With generous sizing, brighter colors, and styles that flatter figures larger than a size 2, it’s become the go-to store for many of us on the far side of fifty.

I’ve become a customer myself and now receive a monthly catalogue. The latest arrived a few days ago and, as I was thumbing through the pages, I had an epiphany. No, it wasn’t about the latest trends in style and pattern—my inner fashionista has definitely seen better days. My a-ha moment had to do with the models.

First off, I wish the women they chose to represent the Chico’s customer looked a bit more like us. Of course models need to be slender and pretty to show off the clothes to best advantage, but these young women actually were a size 2 or even smaller! And, believe me, there was nary a hint of a laugh-line, muffin-top, or droopy bottom in any of the photos.

Nevertheless I was pleased with the images. Why? Because—contrary to the fashion credo—the models were actually smiling! Yes, every photo displayed a woman who seemed happy and engaged in her life. Compare these pictures with some of the high fashion shots where the models look either bored, haughty, or like they’ve just eaten something that disagreed with them. (The truth is—they’ve probably gone without eating for so long they can’t help but appear disengaged and sour.)

So here’s the insight I’ve gained from my Chico’s catalogue: Women our age really do smile and it’s better to boast a few pounds and a couple of wrinkles than to walk around looking like sourpuss. Give me some color, a bit of fun, and a happy outlook any day. And, on that note, I hope each of you enjoyed a very Happy Mother’s Day!

In fact, Barbara Hannah Grufferman thinks giving a mere 50% is actually the key to achieving your goals. Barbara is the author of the wise and wonderful book, The Best of Everything After 50: The Experts’ Guide to Style, Sex, Health, Money and More. She’s also a popular columnist/blogger for the Huffington Post at Huff/Post 50. And, in a recent article, Barbara shared her thoughts on what she terms: “The 50% Solution.”

Barbara’s 50% solution is based on the idea that problems will likely arise if we set ourselves up with unrealistic goals. Rather than getting what we want, we can actually sabotage our desired outcome because we feel too overwhelmed to follow-through. This, of course, sets up a vicious cycle of frustration and failure.

So, as Barbara suggests, “There’s a simple solution to streamlining your goals, plans, and even beauty routines, so you actually accomplish what you’ve set out to do… successfully… ‘The 50% Solution’ is a psychological approach to cutting your goals roughly in half, allowing you to reach them more quickly, thereby giving you the motivation you need to keep going.”

You can read more about creating your own success solutions in the areas of weight management, fitness, finances and more by taking a look at Barbara’s article. Better yet, take a listen! Barbara shared her thoughts with Feisty Side of Fifty Radio in an insightful 15-minute interview that just might inspire YOU to go after your own goals and change your life for the better.

So, whatever you decide to achieve, remember to begin by taking things halfway and move on from there. Once you’ve hit the big 5-0 you do deserve to have the best of everything—so use the 50% Solution and get 100% results!

Here are 3 keys that distinguish the modern mover and shaker from her more matronly counterpart.

A blast of creativity: It seems just as Mother Nature removes the female body’s ability to procreate, a new form of creativity is awakened. Most women in midlife claim to experience a rush of ideas, energy, and, as Margaret Mead discovered long ago, a sense of “menopausal zest” that transforms their lives.

The power to say “no:” Suzanne Braun Levine, founding editor of Ms. magazine as well as prolific author of books on women and aging, claims that learning to say “no” is one of the cornerstones of successful aging. No longer burdened by the overwhelming need to please experienced by many younger women, the hormonal gifts of menopause empower women of maturity to set boundaries that support their authentic drives and needs. Once she can say “no” to unwanted distractions and obligations, her “yes” becomes genuine expression of intent and her actions and energy are in alignment with her purpose.

A feeling of liberation: Freed up from many of her earlier responsibilities of raising young families and/or building careers, the mature woman enjoys the gifts of both time and focus. She can take stock of her life, identify where she wants to go, and has the confidence to pursue her goals with a single-minded determination.

So the next time you read an article about older women becoming invisible, remember this truth: with creativity, power, and a feeling of liberation, we can do anything we choose. And, better than that, we can celebrate our age with attitude!

Therefore, here are a few memory-joggers that are guaranteed to bring back the days of yesteryear:Yummy wax coke-shaped bottles filled with sugar water. Their claim to fame was they “melted in your hands and not in your mouth!”

A head start on a bad habit… I wonder what the Surgeon General had to say about candy cigarettes?

Best of all… you could buy both of these treasures and more with your weekly allowance–50 cents, WOWEE!

Yes, we lucky boomers could kick back, take a drag on a candy cig, a swig on a waxy coke, and watch the ultimate in televised adventures. What do you think–could life get any better than that?

We boomers have known for quite a while that exercise is good for us on many levels. But new research is proving that, with a modicum of movement, we can actually grow new brain cells! A recent article in Inc. reports that exercise helps our brain resist age-related shrinkage and improves overall cognitive flexibility. Moreover it seems exercise triggers the birth of gray matter cells with an added plus—movement makes the shiny new neurons extra nimble by wiring them up to the appropriate neural networks. This is exciting news, indeed!

Better yet, you don’t have to kill yourself to achieve that awesome brainpower. Most of the studies were performed on people doing aerobic activities, however even walking as little as 40 minutes three days a week can make a big difference. Older subjects who committed to the 40-minute walk actually improved their memories by shaving two years off the age of their hippocampus, the brain’s memory center.

So, if you want to renew and revitalize your own noggin, it might be as simple as taking the time to head out for a stroll or go sweatin’ with the oldies—and who among us wouldn’t like to rock out with the Stones, Little Richard, or the many mellow sounds of Motown?

And, to add even more steam to your energy-fueled brainpower, I urge you to take a look at Lumosity (see the link to the left). It’s the only product (other than my own) that I advertise because I believe in it so much. Their entertaining, varied, and FUN brain exercises are based on extensive research and cutting-edge science from such prestigious institutions as Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, and UCSF and the cost is literally pennies a day. So take a moment to check them out and get a free trial—your little gray cells will thank you for it!

Recent advances in brain imaging have produced several surprising new wrinkles to the great gender divide. It goes without saying that those of us who lived through the women’s movement are especially fascinated by the topic of nature versus nurture. In fact this particular conundrum laid the foundation for many a heated skirmish at the height of the battle between the sexes. Now it looks like nature plays an even greater role than we’d thought—especially when it comes to the human brain. One of the most striking differences between the brains of men and women involves the ability to process language.

To the utter dismay of many a long-suffering woman, it appears that men do not listen well! One cause for this phenomenon may come as a result of their lower oxytocin levels. (Oxytocin is the hormone involved in bonding—sometimes dubbed “the cuddle chemical). Unfortunately, the lack of the cuddle chemical makes our guys likely less inclined to want to bond and connect—especially through conversation.

However, hormones aside, the main culprit for their turning a deaf ear to us is that their brain is actually “deaf” on one side.  When brain images of live subjects were taken, they showed the neurons on both sides of a woman’s brain were activated while she listened to the voices of the researchers. However, in males, only one side of the brain displayed activated neurons. And, when verbal tasks were given, women showed higher blood flow to various areas throughout their brain. They could remember what was said and, therefore, recall what they were told to do. No surprise, this increased activity did not occur in men.

Consequently, it seems a biological determinate that when you have a need to send a verbal message to your male partner—especially when it concerns a task you want them to do—you’ll need to be extra certain that your message will actually sift through to the side of his brain where he’ll hear it.

As many of us will attest, dealing with guys can prove challenging… and this frustrating brain-fact makes Tammy Wynette’s words even more on target: “Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman!”

Those of us gals who attempted to join the workforce in the 1970s could expect certain questions at each and every job interview. Whether or not there was a B.A. after your name, the primary question remained: “How fast can you type?” And, if the lady candidate sported a wedding ring, the next question was always: “Does your husband mind if you work?” Meanwhile, male college graduate applicants of the time were swiftly enrolled in the firm’s management training program and were never questioned as to their typing speed or their wife’s concern regarding their employment choices.

Moreover, if a woman already had a family and decided to go to work because she was widowed, divorced, or otherwise needed an income; she was generally viewed as an aberration—someone who was out of place in the business world. In fact, the term applied to such females was “displaced homemakers…” not exactly a sign of respect for their business acumen!

Nevertheless and despite the enormous odds stacked against us, we feisty gals pushed hard to gain a semblance of parity with our male counterparts. And we succeeded! Granted, major inequities in compensation, seats in the boardroom, and in a thousand other ways still exist—but our struggles made a difference for our daughters and ourselves.

Yet it goes without saying that the younger generation tends to want to shock and surprise their elders. We certainly outraged our parents with our long hair, protests, and fondness for pot. But this latest news is almost too much to bear: A brand new survey found that more than 25% of women would trade in IQ points for bigger breasts. I’m speechless!

I do try to adopt a positive outlook in most things but this one is challenging me—big time. What could they be thinking? I’ve always considered the triumphs of the Women’s Movement to be one of our lasting legacies that will forever change the lives of future generations… but maybe not.

Is it possible to feel feisty, frazzled, and dumbfounded all at the same time?!

There are tons of reasons why this is true. Some of these causes for celebration, like the social influence and clout our numbers provide, are legendary. With a grateful nod to our population bulge, we boomers continue our revolutionary ways: shattering outmoded social norms, molding the culture to our liking, and reinventing the role for what it means to be a post-50 citizen. (Which other generation could boast of forgoing the rocking chair in favor of the rock concert?)

But my thoughts are of a personal nature and I, for one, am grateful for the small things. Here is my list of seven reasons why I consider myself blessed to be a boomer:

1)     I’ve never had to consider piercing anything on my body beyond my earlobes.

2)     For much of my life, when I phoned customer service, I immediately spoke with an actual, flesh and blood person! Plus, (and big bonus here) they were trained to be polite and helpful.

3)     When I was young, there were no entertainment centers—no multiple switches, remotes, wires, and unintelligible manuals. There was a TV with rabbit ears, a dial, and one, elegantly simple, on/off switch.

4)     I’ve never had to deal with the heartbreak of a full-blown Internet addiction.

5)     I remember when people used real words and not just unpronounceable acronyms.

6)     Sixties’ and Seventies’ rock ‘n’ roll was the BEST and I know, without a doubt, that we boomers have never lacked for cool.

7)     We continue to be the grooviest generation on the planet.

So, what do you think? What are the ways you express your boomer bravado? How are you putting gold into your golden years? Whatever you’re doing, you can be grateful for being born into a remarkable generation. Let’s let those whippersnappers know we’re not about to drift silently into the margins of society. To the contrary, let’s shout it loud and proud: boomers forever!